Dow sheds more than 200 points with Russia-Ukraine tensions in focus

Stocks declined Thursday as investors eyed the Russia-Ukraine conflict and digested corporate earnings reports.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed about 245 points, or 0.7%. The S&P 500 dipped 0.8%. The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.8%.

Ongoing tension at the Russia-Ukraine border continued to impact market sentiment.

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations said Thursday the conflict had reached a "crucial moment." There is evidence that Russia is preparing for an "imminent invasion" of Ukraine, the ambassador said. Ukraine accused pro-Russian separatists of attacking a village near the border. 

On the economic front, weekly jobless claims numbers came in at 248,000, rising from the previous week and above the 218,000 expected, according to a Dow Jones estimate. Housing permits for January showed a surprise increase, but housing starts lagged expectations.

Investors also weighed a slew of corporate earnings reports.

Walmart topped expectations and reaffirmed guidance, sending its shares up about 1%.

Cisco rose more than 3% after the company also topped estimates and raised guidance.

DoorDash saw its shares surge more than 16% after reporting better-than-expected revenue and order numbers.

For the week, the S&P 500 is marginally higher and the Nasdaq Composite is up more than 1%. The Dow is the relative laggard, down slightly on the week.